Effect of Covid-19 on Noise Pollution in Nzoia River Basin, Kenya

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue I, January 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705

Effect of Covid-19 on Noise Pollution in Nzoia River Basin, Kenya

Ernest Othieno Odwori
Department of Water, Environment and Natural Resources, Kakamega County, Kakamega, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Nzoia River Basin lies entirely within Kenya along the border with Uganda in the Lake Victoria Basin, and has a population of about 3.7 million people with mixed demographic characteristics displaying mixed distribution patterns. The purpose of this study was to assess noise pollution levels in the basin before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional research design was used in the study. Three counties were randomly selected from the basin for study with Busia representing the lower catchment, Kakamega middle catchment and Trans Nzoia upper catchment. Control of noise pollution, other public nuisances and outdoor advertising is a devolved function of county governments in Kenya. A person intending to engage in such activities is by law required to apply for a permit from the county governments. The number of permits issued by the county governments will give an indication on the number of people intending to engage in noise pollution and hence, the level of noise pollution in the county. This study used the number of noise pollution permits issued by county goverments, in-depth expert interviews (key informants) with selected stakeholders from national and county departments of environment, academia and scientists, field observations, recently published literature and industry experiences to assess the effect of COVID-19 on noise pollution levels in Nzoia River Basin. A questionnaire was sent to the county governments of Busia, Kakamega and Trans Nzoia to collect information on the number of monthly noise pollution permits issued for the two years 2018 and 2019 preceeding the COVID-19 outbreak and 2020 after the onset of the pandemic. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistic of percentages in order to compare the changes in overall noise pollution levels and then presented in Tables. The findings of the study revealed that the year 2020 had the smallest number of permits issued as compared to the two preceeding years, 2018 and 2019. In-depth expert interviews (key informants) and field observations revealed that noise pollution hotspots in the basin are major towns and urban areas, major highways, airports and airstrips, industrial manufacturing centres and agro-based processing plants, quarrying sites and Webuye Broadrick waterfalls. This study sheds light on the consequences of the sudden occurrence of a major pandemic and raises awareness on the critical impacts to the environment in terms of reduced noise pollution levels. The findings of this study can be used to formulate strategies for noise pollution control in the basin. Noise is known to cause ill health, and therefore any efforts made to reduce the level of noise pollution in the basin will result into the improvement of the health status of the residents. The widely observed reduction in noise pollution in the basin is welcome news on the positive environmental effects of COVID-19, but proper planning mechanisms for the post COVID months to come will be required in order to sustain the reduced noise levels.

Keywords: Nzoia River Basin, COVID-19, Noise pollution level

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